My findings as I live my crazy life.

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Alright, well it’s actually called Mysophobia, but I figured more folks would recognize it better if I called it Germaphobia!

I will admit though, I am a bit afraid of germs and bacteria. Kinda odd especially since I was all into making E. Coli cultures today in the microbiology lab. But I like having clean hands, and not getting sick! Also, I’m working towards applying to the only level 4 lab in Canada, and one of fourteen in the world. That’s right, this incredibly accident prone guy might be working with some of the most dangerous biochemical substances in the history of mankind!

The other night, I watched that movie Contagion, which really doesn’t help this little bit of a fear at all. It’s all about the spread of a super-virus that’s taking millions of people’s lives. It uses a lot of camera angles and imagery to show just how easily disease can spread throughout the world, causing an epidemic. While I was watching the movie, I was chowing down on my popcorn and instantly thought that someone had to touch it at some point…

Also, sometime during the movie, they said that a person touches their face up to 3000 times a day. If its true, that’s an incredible and scary amount that I really have difficulty fathoming. My face must be absolutely filthy by the end of the day really. But I found the movie very interesting as well; especially how it punched in the reality that a super virus is actually very possible. Especially with some of the stuff I have been learning in my advanced microbiology classes. For example, in the entire worlds stockpile, we have only been able to find a medium to grow/reproduce 0.1% of all bacteria.

I don’t really like to think about it all too much, it just kinda shows how weak the human race really could be, and everything I learn in my classes don’t really help that viewpoint at all.

Neither does Contagion!

In my biochemistry class, we need to find a topic for our scientific research essay. It’s not due until mid-November, but it’s still imperative to work on it at a constant basis until then. I’m not sure what to choose for a topic though. It needs to be biochemistry related and very recent research, so I probably just need to do some research on recent findings. Maybe I’ll ask a biochemist too, I have a friend working at the University of Calgary in Biochemistry. Unless anyone has any suggestions? They would be greatly appreciated!

Since I’m talking about science things, I might as well continue along that subject line. Yesterday I got the new issues of Science Illustrated and Popular Science to help me look for a possible topic. But I actually enjoy reading them, a lot of the articles are extremely interesting and have some pretty insane information and experiments that have been going on. There’s actually a pretty inspirational story in Popular Science about a college student that was paraplegic, but didn’t want to graduate in his wheelchair. So a group of student engineers at U.C. Berkeley built him a machine that allowed him to walk across the stage and get his diploma. Basically he’s considered a cyborg since the exoskeleton they installed into him is a combination of his flesh and this machine. I would recommend to read the entire issue though if you have the time, its apparemtly a special education issue.

“If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance.” – George Bernard Shaw

Today I had my first day of the Fall 2011 semester and the only day this week. Thursdays I have labs and they don’t run the first week, so no need to go tomorrow. Then Friday I’m skipping classes for Ke$ha. Yes I know, skipping already; but it’s Ke$ha and LMFAO in VIP seating! Plus I know someone in all my classes (with exception to one),so I will be able to get the notes anyway.

Thompson Rivers University CAC

It was a good day overall and I feel as though it will be a very interesting semester learning some really neat things. My five classes that I have are filled with 4 biologies and 1 Theatre class. But I’ll go through each one of them.

First class: Biochemistry

I think this class will prove to my toughest subject of the year. Just because there’s a lot of difficult material being covered and the prof is well known for making a very difficult final exam (worth 35%). So I’m going to have to do my best to get great grades for the other 65% of the marks for the class. This class features a scientific paper due in two months. I’ll probably start researching for it next week though since research takes so long. I know the paper is a pretty big undertaking but honestly, I don’t mind, since we pick our own topics (biochem related), I get to choose something to do with neurology. I’ll probably go in the direction of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease since I’m already very familiar with both of those. Plus I consider myself pretty good at writing papers, usually I get a very decent mark.

Second class: Biometrics

This one is basically my science maths class, mostly statistics in a scientific method. So that means a lot of word problems, and a lot of very difficult ones as my prof pointed out too. As long as I don’t get lost somewhere along the way, I should be fine and I like maths when it’s not calculus. But I will admit, I’m a bit nervous that my prof will go too fast, it’s Nancy, and I had her before in my first year of university. She just blasted through the material like a bat out of hell. The other thing too is that my sister is also in this class. Usually that’s a good thing, but when it comes to any maths, my sister has major issues, and I always feel obligated to help her too. Which can prove to be very very difficult since she’s like a mule.

Science!

Third class: Microbiology

Another tough marker of a prof; but not technically, everyone just complains because he never uses multiple choice. Instead he always essay questions and long answer questions on his exams. Meaning I’m going to need to study a lot. Although, with that said, it’s a class mostly about processes, meaning diagrams, charts and flow. When I have any of those elements, I get an instant photographic memory. All-in-all, it should be quite fun of a class too.

Fourth class: Introduction to Theatrical Acting

At the start of this class I felt quite out place. There were all these artsy students that I have never seen before, but luckily this one girl noticed me and somehow knew I was a science student. So we sat together as the only science persons in the class. I was very impressed though, my prof seems very passionate about teaching us to act and improv. He’s so passionate that it just transfers over to everyone in the class and makes you really want to be there. I think this is going to be very fun, even though I am an awkward science student.

Thompson Rivers University Old Library

Fifth Class: Ecology and Evolution of Land Plants

This is my biology elective and I really only chose it because Lyn is teaching this class. I just had to take one of her classes. A couple of years ago I met her in the science building, and she is the most passionate scientist ever to study and teach botany. Not only that, but she is literally insane and incredibly funny. Especially with her flying penises and peeing carrots. PLUS! There’s a field trip in two weeks for this class. Camping at Wells Grey park and looking at all kinds of plants. It will awesome and a great way to make some new friends I hope. I’m incredibly excited for this class though, just because of the prof whose teaching. Passion makes the biggest difference.

“Friendship — is not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.” – Muhammad Ali